The side eye

Molly uses 'the side eye'. This is one of the characteristics of Autism...she rarely looks directly at you, or at the baseball pitch, or at any activity occurring around her, but she catches it perfectly in her peripheral vision and hits a homer, or stores it for later. 

And I mean perfectly.

Her obsession with catsup has been forever, and we have to dole it out in little acrylic nut cups and hide the bottles, because if she gets hold of a bottle, she will dispense the entire thing into a bowl, until the bottle is empty, or the bowl is overflowing. 

Hiding the bottles is a big game to her...and no matter WHERE i put one, within a day or two, she's found the hiding spot, recovered it, and poured a bowl. 

I thought I had her outsmarted FINALLY when i discovered that my oven mitt perfectly fits over a catsup bottle!! We have been 2 months without a red disaster! Yesterday? She walked right up beside me while i was cooking supper, pulled the oven mitt off the bottle, and asked for catsup. IN YOUR FACE, MOM!!

This morning, after suggesting she bypass the catsup for breakfast, and try a bowl of cereal first, she verbalized "Eggs, Toast"  This stems from mornings at big brother Gabe's house. He makes a hot breakfast for his kids EVERY morning. (Zoey loves pancakes)

Ok, ok..I'll be in there in a second...eggs and toast it is. (If molly verbalizes a request, it is generally granted to affirm our need to communicate that way) 

She returns to me (I'm trying to make my bed) WITH an egg in her hand. 

Ok OK!! I drop everything and head to the kitchen, grab a pan, and head for the stove...when i crash. Full splits, knee bent back, trashcan knocked over...Oh Dear Lord I know I've broken something. WHAT HAPPENED???

I holler at the Sarge, and look over to see egg yolk on my kitchen floor. Someone has been attempting to make her own breakfast! 

Nothing broke, by the way, so I'm feeling pretty foolish about calling out the troops. I get up, clean up the mess, start her eggs..then walk over to make her some toast. 

There are already two pieces of toast, done, warm and in the toaster...and a loaf of bread that's been torn open. (she cannot maneuver twist ties, yet)

Yep, Miss Side Eye has all my moves down, and is ready to learn how to cook....I don't even want to tell you about her new duty as the backseat driver. 

EEK!